SAN DIEGO, Calif. – (May 4, 2021) – DUDE was named the winner of the Gold Stevie Award in the Minority-Owned Business of the Year category at the 19th American Business Awards. They were also honored with the Silver Stevie Award in the Most Innovative Company of the Year – Up to 100 Employees category.
Following the success of his first digital agency, WebsiteIn5Days.com, Chris Martinez founded DUDE in 2017 as a way to give other digital marketing agencies access to the hidden talent pool of designers and developers he discovered in Tijuana, Mexico. The goal was to help agencies take on more projects and scale profitability by giving them the people, processes and education in order to do so. Now, DUDE is a top resource for web development and design support for digital agencies in the US and Canada, with plans to expand to other countries as teams across the world are built out.
“I am extremely honored to have DUDE recognized as the Minority-Owned Business of the Year,” says Martinez. “Part of our mission is to create jobs and inspire people who have been underrepresented in the technology industry, as tech has some of the lowest rates of minorities in leadership positions. This just pushes us forward in accomplishing that.”
Martinez bought his business partner out of the company in February 2020, which unfortunately emptied the company’s bank account. DUDE also lost 18 percent in revenue in one week in March due to COVID. But by embracing the “Bridge, Connect, and Deliver” philosophy, the company was able to raise its revenue to $119K by November, and exceeded $1M in revenue for the entire year.
“The hard work and determination of this business owner to succeed despite a pandemic that closed many doors is impressive!” commented one of the Stevie Award judges. “By bringing your employees together and creating a strong foundation in that regard, they will in turn show the same appreciation to the clients. Bridge, Connect, Deliver is a brilliant way to encourage and streamline the company culture and client relationship.”
Although DUDE faced many COVID-related challenges during 2020, the team was able to keep 100 percent client retention in April and because of this, was able to bring back the entire staff full time by the end of May. By October, DUDE was able to hire and grow its team to more than 45 employees, and by the end of 2020, the team grew to nearly 60 employees across five countries, including Mexico, the Philippines, India, Bangladesh and Peru, with the goal to expand to all of Latin America. Martinez attributes the success of DUDE to his employees and hopes that with every successful task they do, they are able to change the perception people have about Latinos, Asians and other underrepresented groups in technology.
The American Business Awards are the U.S.A.’s premier business awards program. All organizations operating in the U.S.A. are eligible to submit nominations – public and private, for-profit and nonprofit, large and small.
Nicknamed the Stevies for the Greek word meaning “crowned,” the awards will be virtually presented to winners during a live event on Wednesday, June 30. Tickets for the virtual event are now on sale.
About DUDE
DUDE is the world’s #1 resource for web development and design support for digital agencies. Their goal is to help other agencies get the perfect outsourcing solution so they can scale profitably. DUDE’s philosophy is “Bridge, Connect and Deliver.” You can view more information at dudeagency.io.
About the Stevie Awards
Stevie Awards are conferred in eight programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards®, The International Business Awards®, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. The Stevies also produce the annual Women|Future Conference. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com.
